Insulating means for flush switches.



G. D. PLATT.

INSULATING MEANS FOR FLUSH SWITCHES.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1909. 948,707. Patented Feb. 8, 1910. 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

" WNW v 2 mi ii?" lliilll 4/ WITNESSES: INVENTOR 1 KM & 42?- fw. am BY ATTORNEY O. D. PLATT.

INSULATING MEANS FOR FLUSH SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1909.

948,707. Patented Feb. 8, 1910. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l IIlll] WITNESSES: N flij HHHHH INVENTOR 3; 3i 7 ,%Mw&/% r a BY ATTORNEY OLARENGE ID. PLATE, BGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

INSULATING- FOB FLUSH SWITCHES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. s, more.

Application filed June 12, 1909. Serial No. 501,780.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE D. PLA'rr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Insulating Means for Flush Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to flush switches generally whether of the push button-or rotary type and has for its object to provide a structure in which the danger of short circuiting under the ordinary conditions of use shall be wholly obviated and in which the switch mechanism shall be wholly covered and protected independently of the cover plate during transportation and building operations.

With these and other objects in view I have devised the novel structure of which the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings is a s ecification, reference characters being use to indicate the several arts.

Figure 1 is a p an view of the base and insulating block of a push button switch with one of the attaching ears and the cover plate removed; Fig. 2 an inverted plan View of the cover plate of a push button switch removed, showing the insulating plate in position thereon; Fig. 3 a section on the hue 33 in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 a section onan enlarged scale on the line 4-4 in 2; Fig. 5 an end elevation of the base as seen from the right in Fi 1; Fig. 6 a plan view of the insulating bloc and base of a rotary switch; Fig. 7 an edge view corresponding therewith; Fig. 8 a plan view of the cover plate of a rotary switch, detached; and Fig. 9 is a section on an enlarged scale on the line 9-9 in Fig. 8, also showing the insulating block and base.

10 denotes the cover plate of a push button switch, 11 the insulating base, 12 the insulating block, 13 the push uttons, 14 the insulating plate attached to the cover plate, 15 the attaching cars, 16 the terminals and 17 the binding screws.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, the ush buttons in this class of switches have can supported by a metal yoke extending longitudinally across the base with which the attaching ears were made inte al. In 111 present structure I dispense with the meta lic yoke and use in lieu thereof the insulating block 12 which is provided with openings 42 that receive and support the push buttons and is cut away at the corners. This insulating block lies in a recess 19 in the base and is shown as supported laterally by flanges 20 formed upon the base, the upper surface of the flanges lying level or substantially so with the top of the block.. The termmals and binding screws are depressed below the surface of'the base and the insulatmg block and lie in pockets 21 lying between the cut-away corners of the insulating block and the flanges. The ends of the insulating block are shown as extended beyond the end of the base and as resting upon bosses 22, one only being shown, upon the ends of the base. The attaching cars 15 are secured to the insulating blocks by means of screws 23 which pass upward through the hubs and engage the shanks of the ears. Grooves 24 in the ends of the base are provided to receive the blade of a screw driver and give convenient access to screws 23. Slots 25 are provided in the ends of the insulating blocks to receive screws which pass through holes 26 in the cover plate and engage the attaching ears to retain the cover plate in place.

It will be seen that by the use of the insu lating block and by providing pockets between the insulating block and the flange of the base to receive the depressed contacts and binding screws, I insure perfect separation and insulation of the terminals, even should the wiring not be done in the most workmanlike manner. There is still, however, danger of short circuiting by means of the cover plate. This I wholly overcome by providing insulating plate 14 between the cover plate and the terminals, which is attached to the cover plate. The insulating plate wholly covers pockets 21 and therefore makes short circuiting between the terminals and the cover plate practically impossible. It will be noted that openings 18 in the cover plate through which the push buttons pass are' provided on their under sides with bosses 27. The insulating plate is provided with openings 28 which ]ust receive these bosses and said plate is attached to the cover plate by strikmg lugs 29 from the bosses outward over the insulating plate, thereby looking it in place. Another important advantage of the present structure is that the insulating block covers and protects the switch mechanism before the cover plate is attached. This is a great advantage as it is the ractice to market the switches and cover p ates as separate articles and also to wire up the switches and to attach the cover plates later, thus leaving the switch mechanism unprotected against tampering with and the ontrance of dirt during building operations. By attaching the insulating plate to the cover plate, that also is retained in place so that it cannot be lost and is sure to be in pro er position when the cover plate is attache to the switch.

The form illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive illustrates the application of the invention to a rotary switch. The cover plate 30 is provided with a central depression which forms a convex boss 31 on the under side thereof. At the center of the de ression is a hole 32 through which the spind e 33 of the switch passes. 34 denotes a thumb button which is detachably secured to the spindle. The base 35 is provided with a recess 36 which receives an insulating block 37 the same as in the other form. block is provided with cut-away portions forming ockets 38 as in the other form. For sing e pole switches, two pockets are provided, as in Fig. 6, and for double pole switches four pockets. The attaching ears are secured to the insulatin block as in the other form, and the cover p ate is secured to the base by means of the usual thumb button. The insulating plate 39 is provided with a central hole 40 which receives boss 31 and said plate is attached to the cover plate by striking .lugs 41 out from the metal of the boss and over the insulating plate.

Having thus described my invention 1 claim:

1. An improvement in flush switches comprising an insulatin base provided with a recess, and an insulating block located within said recess and having cut away portions cooperating with the walls of said recess to form pockets adapted to support and insulate the switch terminals and bindin screws.

2. An improvement in flush switc es comprising an insulating base provided with a recess, an insulating block located within said recess and having cut away portions cooperating with the walls of said recess to The insulating form pockets adapted to support and insulate the switch terminals and binding screws, a cover plate for said insulating base and an insulating cover for said pockets carried by said cover plate.

3. A cover plate for switches having an opening, a boss surrounding the opening, an msulatlng plate surrounding the boss and lugs struck insulating plate to the cover plate.

4. An Improvement in flush switches comprising an insulating base, an insulating block located therein and provided with an opening for switch operating means, said block being provided with cut away portions to form pockets adapted to su port and insulate the switch terminals and binding screws, attaching ears for said switch, and means for clamping said block between said base and said ears.

5. An improvement in flush switches comrisin an insulating base, an insulating lock ocated therein and provided with an opening for switch operating means, said block being provided with cut away portions to form pockets adapted to support and insulate the switch termlnals and binding screws, 21; cover plate for said base provided with an insulated cover for said pockets, means for supporting said base and means for clamping said supporting means.

out from the boss to lock the block between said base and said risin an insulating base, an insulating lock ocated therein and provided with an opening for switch operating means, said b ock being provided with cut away portions to form poc ets adapted to support and insulate the switch terminals and binding screws, and means for clamping said base to said block, said clamping means being constructed to support said block.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE D. PLATT. Witnesses:

A. M. Woos'rnn, S. W. A'rnnn'rou. 

